Surviving Hogwarts
by SpringBabe
Summary: At the end of their 5th year Lily was no longer friends with Snape, but the next two years are going to include more changes in friendships for not just Lily, but for Brooke, the Marauders and others as they try to survive their last two years at Hogwarts. James just wants Lily to go out with him, Lily wants James to stop annoying her and they all want to survive the war.
1. Chapter 1

**That's right guys I'm back after my long three or so years of nothing. Reading back on my previous uncompleted Lily and James fanfic I've realised that I no longer enjoy that story and I don't know how to finish it so I've started another Lily and James story, however they'll be sharing the story with another couple, I'm sure you'll all be able to pick up who it will be soon, but I don't want to reveal too much. Anyway while I have some spare time on my hands here is what I've written so far and hopefully there will be more to come soon.  
SpringBabe.**

* * *

"Lily" Brooke hissed softly not wanting to upset Lily any more than she already was.

The had finished their last OWL a few hours ago, it was the event that occurred about 15 minutes after their DADA OWL that had caused Lily to rush up to the Gryffindor tower straight to the privacy of the 5th year girls dorm.

It was weird whispering to the curtains Lily had pulled shut around her four poster bed, although Brooke knew the other girl was behind them it would have been better if she could talk directly to Lily instead of through a scarlet curtain.

As much as Brooke wanted to go back to the Ravenclaw common room and join the celebrations with the other fifth years, much to the annoyance of the 7th years who still had most of their NEWT exams to do over the next week and a half she knew that Lily needed her. The Ravenclaw parties were a hit or miss anyway, and after pretending to be friends with Marina and Samara for five minutes in order to look like she was enjoying the party Brooke decided to leave and see if her Gryffindor friend would like some company.

Lily and Brooke might have been from different houses, but they had managed to stay friends ever since they were paired up in charms in their first year. They may have been from different houses, but the fact that Brooke didn't get along with her roommates helped solidify their friendship and Brooke preferred to hang out with Lily's roommates over her own. No one battered an eyelid anymore when they found Brooke in the Gryffindor common room, she was there that often, even the Fat Lady let her on her own as long as she gave the right password. Although this could have been due to the fact that Brooke's cousin Mary was a 6th year Gryffindor prefect and was respected by all Gryffindor's.

They also had nothing in common appearance wise. Lily had long red hair, with the occasional blonde streak from when she got her hair dyed in the Christmas holidays, bright emerald green eyes that sparkled when she laughed or smiled. Lily was also reasonably small for her age but she had one of the bodies that all the boys desired and all the girls wanted. Brooke on the other hand was of average height, as tanned as people get when they are of British origin and had shoulder length caramel-blonde hair. She had blue eyes that naturally shimmered, which most people told her was her best feature. While Brooke applied very little make-up as she preferred the natural look Lily wore heavy eye make-up, which only made her green eyes stand out more and caked on the blush in order to make up for her pale complexion. Although while Lily applied her make-up more heavily then Brooke she did not look like a cake face like Marina.

They didn't have much in common interests wise either. Brooke was a sports fan, both muggle and magic, playing or spectating she was there. Lily however enjoyed reading and preferred to be indoors instead rather than outside freezing while watching either a soccer match with her father or a quidditch game with the rest of the school. Lily would only go to Gryffindor quidditch games anyway just to support her house.

They did have one thing in common, a male best friend who they knew from before starting Hogwarts. For Brooke that best friend came in the form of Peter Pettigrew and for Lily, Severus Snape was her best friend, however it seemed that Lily and Severus' friendship had ended this very day, which was the main reason while Brooke had come to comfort Lily.

While their friendship may have been rocky for a while, Lily remained hopeful that Severus would always be her friend, after all he was the one who introduced her to the magical world, he was her best friend for years until he began to distance himself and started to hang around some of the nastier Slytherin's. Even when Severus was sorted into Slytherin and Lily into Gryffindor they still remained best friends and bonded even more on their mutual hate of James Potter.

Brooke and Peter knew each other before they came to Hogwarts. They were next door neighbours who lived in a muggle town, so neither told the other that they were a witch or wizard. Then Brooke's parents got a divorce and Brooke moved in with her dad and his new girlfriend in the heart of the city among the bustle and hustle of busy everyday Londoners. It was a shock for both Brooke and Peter when they bumped into each other on the Hogwarts express. Since Brooke instantly had Peter as her friend they spent the time from Kings Cross Station to Hogsmeade Station catching up with each other, she never really took the time on that first train ride to get to know any other first years.

For the first few years Brooke, was Lily's last minute friend and was closer friends with the other Gryffindor girls, as Lily would always spend her free time either studying with Severus or just spending time with him and while Brooke didn't like Snape much she respected their friendship enough to leave them alone when they were together. It wasn't until 3rd year that Severus started to distance himself from Lily due to his housemate's reactions of their friendship that Lily decided to study with Brooke and they began to hang out more. By 4th year Lily began to stop trying to rearrange all her time in order to spend time with Severus and started to view Brooke as her best friend. It was through Brooke that she began to form strong friendships with the other Gryffindor girls in her year.

"Lily can you please open the curtains I just want to make sure you're okay." Brooke said her voice full of sympathy.

Brooke was just about to give up and join the Gryffindor party which was much louder and more exciting than the Ravenclaw party thanks to the Marauders when Mary burst into the room.

"Hi, Brooke is Lily here, it's just that Snape still hasn't left Gryffindor Tower and is threatening to sleep out the front of the Fat Lady if Lily doesn't talk to him." Mary explained.

"Yeah she is, but I don't think she wants to see anyone especially him." Brooke added quietly so only Mary could hear.

Lily pulled the curtains back and stuck her mascara stained face out. "I don't care, I'm not seeing him."

"Lily you're the only one who can send him away. I don't care if you don't accept his apology but please just get him to leave. Half of Gryffindor wants to hex the greasy haired git. SO PLEASE get him to leave. He's threatening to sleep outside the common room until you see him." Mary practically begged.

"No." Lily replied stubbornly.

Brooke shook her head slightly. She hated Snape for what he did to her. It probably hurt Lily more than they thought but if she wanted to end things this was the time. "Lily you have to. I like Snape as much as the Marauders do but I think Mary's right you need to see him before the Gryffindor's hex his sorry behind back to where he came from."

"He deserves to be hexed. He doesn't deserve for me to stop that." Lily muttered bitterly.

"Lily." Brooke said soothingly. "Just go out and tell him it's over."

"Look you don't get it; you're not a muggle born. I act like the word doesn't affect me because it's just a word and it's only Slytherin's and other pureblood fanatics saying it but when it comes from the mouth of your best friend and the person who introduced you to this world it hurts." Lily admitted wiping away one lone tear that had started to fall. The last tear she was going to cry for him.

She wasn't going to cry for him anymore. She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. She was done.

"Lily you're the strongest girl I know. You can do this. All you have to do is walk down to the common room with your head held high. You're still going to act like the word doesn't affect you and you're going to see Snape and tell him whatever you want. You can leave at the end of this year and use the summer holidays to forget about it if you have to." Mary advised.

"Alright I'll do it." Lily said finally agreeing to Brooke and Mary.

"That's my girl." Mary smiled.

Brooke and Mary waited in the dorm while Lily got herself organised although it didn't take long. All she did was remove her makeup and washed away the mascara stained tear marks.

"We'll walk you down if you want, that way you can make your way through the carnage easier." Brooke offered as Lily walked out the dorm flanked by both Brooke and Mary.

Surprisingly they were able to quickly make their way through the party occurring without anyone stopping them.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Brooke as Mary as the portrait closed behind Lily, leaving them in the common room in order to offer Lily and Snape some privacy.

"She'll be fine. She can handle herself in any situation." Mary answered wandering to the table of food a few feet away from the entryway.

10 minutes later Lily's shouts could be heard even over the loud music playing, stopping the party for a few seconds. The 5th year Gryffindor girls turned to sound of the noise with concern for their friend, and James Potter looked ready to jump into action and defend the red head even though she would have turned her anger onto him. Mary thankfully had the decency to charm the entrance to the common room so no sound from outside could be heard and the party goers quickly turned back to what they were doing.

Five minutes later Lily returned, "I can't wait for the summer holidays."

"So are you and Snape still friends or…" Brooke trailed of not sure if it was ok to ask.

"No it's over. I told him that friends don't insult each other and for him to say it means he had to have been thinking it so I want nothing to do with him." Lily replied.

"Are you going to be ok, Lil or do you want me to stay a bit longer?" Mary asked, not sure if the redhead needed to vent.

"I'll be fine Mary, thanks for being supportive." Lily replied, ready to make her way through the crowd and up to her dormitory. Brooke followed her ready to block the girl from anyone trying to talk to her, for their protection mainly because the redhead would explode if anyone provoked her in anyway before she made it up to her dormitory.

"Do you want me to leave you alone as well?" Brooke asked uncertain when Lily flopped face first onto her bed burying her face into her pillow.

"No, you can stay if you want. I don't really want to be all alone. Besides I doubt you want to go and hang out with Samara and Marina." Lily replied sitting up to face Brooke.

Lily looked conflicted for a moment, like she was trying to work out whether to say what she was thinking or not, "you know what, give me a few minutes for me to calm down and freshen up then we can go join the other girls at the party. A distraction might be exactly what I need as long as you keep Potter away from me.

Brooke seemed slightly unsure if this was the right thing to do, but instead decided that she want to enjoy a party and just smiled at the redhead. "Deal."

* * *

 **Ok so this was just a bit of a summary of what had happened to lead up to the next year. Basically this is what I believe is the triggering moment that changed James and Lily's relationship even if we all know that there is a lot of time to go before they get together, Lily's opinion isn't going to change overnight. Plus Brooke is a crucial character in this story and I wanted to show how she fits in.  
SpringBabe. **


	2. Chapter 2

"And have you got-"

"Yes mum, I have everything." Lily cut her mum off, rolling her eyes.

Even if she was half an hour early, getting on the platform and away from Petunia's horrid scowl was worth spending 20 minutes sitting alone in a compartment. Of course Lily was going to miss her parents, how could she not. They had been there for her with everything. They didn't cast her out when she got her Hogwarts letter. They didn't avoid her like she was the plague. If there ever happened to be a plague in England Petunia would be the only one resistant to it, after all she was an expert at avoiding Lily.

"Mum, Dad I'm going to find a compartment and leave my trunk there and then I'll be right back." Lily told her parents ignoring Petunia who was standing next to their parents refusing to look at Lily or at the barrier that had magical properties. Leaving them on the Muggle side of the barrier that separated platform 9 and ¾ from the Muggle world. She disappeared through the solid brick wall and into the small crowd of students who wanted to get on the Hogwarts Express early. Now that she thought about it getting on the train early wasn't a good idea, with only a small amount of students on the platform Snape would easily be able to seek her out, (it surprised Lily how easy it was to call him Snape, she didn't even have to try). He had been trying to get her to talk to him all summer. He made it his daily routine to sit on the Evan's small garden wall and wait for her to appear. After a couple of days of this, Lily's dad finally scared him off much to Lily's relief, but that didn't stop the greasy bastard from using other methods. He sent owls, he threw pebbles at her window, and he stalked her whenever she left the house. Every time she wanted to go to the park and reminisce on what had happened in the past, he was there. Whenever she went with her parents to buy groceries, he was there. He was even in Diagon Alley each time she went shopping with Brooke or the other girls.

The only relief Lily had where she didn't have to worry about Snape interrupting was Brooke's early 17th party. Since 17 was when a witch or wizard become of age it was a big deal and Brooke's parents wanted to celebrate properly rather than send the girl her gift on her actual birthday which was the 5th of September. It was at Brooke's party that all the guests saw the real Lily who wasn't being shadowed by Snape. Everyone believed that she was a prude who hated parties, but it was a shock for all the Hogwarts students that knew Lily to see the red headed prefect let her hair down and enjoy the party, even her own roommates didn't realise how much she was holding back.

Thinking back to Brooke's party made her laugh at the reaction Peter Pettigrew gave when she tapped him on the shoulder. All she wanted to do was talk to him, after all he wasn't as bad as Black and Potter and he was Brooke's longest friend. She felt obliged to talk to him.

He was short for his age, only slightly taller than Lily. If she was being completely honest he didn't seem to fit in with the other three Marauders. Like everyone else she believed that he was the fourth marauder because he shared the same dorm as Remus Lupin, James Potter and Sirius Black. While he was short and slightly chubby the other three were tall and had an athletic build. It was rumoured that Black had the most defined abs out of the three, but that was only due to the fact that Sirius was always found in broom cupboards or empty classrooms shirtless with other girls. Although there were plenty of rumours about Potter's abs which he did nothing to deny, there were even a good handful of rumours about Remus, who would just blush or shake his head at whenever he heard them. It seemed like Peter tried way too hard to fit in, the other three were themselves but from Lily's perspective Peter tried to be like his roommates. Girls didn't find Peter hot and to be honest Lily couldn't blame them. If she based a guy on appearance he wouldn't make the cut, his front teeth were slightly crooked and had a yellow tint that suggested he didn't take oral hygiene seriously. At least he wore deodorant. There were still some boys who she shared a classroom with that didn't and they stank. His eyes were a dull blue; even Sirius whose eyes were grey had more life to them than Peter's did. It was common knowledge that James Potter took pride in his messy hair which he somehow, although Lily would never admit it was an attractive quality, while Peter looked like he had forgotten about the bird's nest on his head.

It wasn't just his appearance that sent the girls away. It was his personality. Nothing about him screamed confidence and that could have also been because his three friends screamed confidence, or in James and Sirius' case were arrogant, cocky pricks. There was also the fact that he couldn't hold a conversation. Lily had tried to talk to Peter for five minutes but all the boy had contributed with was a high pitched hello that still got Lily shaking with laughter each time she remembered it. For ten minutes Lily stood next to him in an awkward silence waiting for him to contribute but he never did. Each time she asked him a question he replied with a long "ummmm" but never gave her an answer. At first Lily felt sorry for him but really he brought it upon himself and because he never drew attention to himself he was constantly pushed into the shadows behind the three sought out Marauders. However from what she had seen all three boys treated Peter as if he belonged, he must be doing something right then.

It was common knowledge that Lily couldn't stand both James Potter and Sirius Black. James more than Sirius. It was mainly because they made it their daily jobs to torment Snape and back then she was friends with him. Then there was the fact that they never respected her. Lily had worked hard to prove that she belonged at Hogwarts. It was hard because she was a Muggleborn and there were many (the Slytherin's) that constantly brought up the fact that she was different and that she didn't belong. When she became a prefect she hoped that they would respect her a little but they constantly treated her as a 'little know it all' that was a 'stickler for the rules.' Lily didn't know what was worse. To have James Potter constantly asking you out every second of every day or to have Sirius Black treat you like you were a waste of his space and that he didn't have the time of day to even glance her way. They laughed in her face whenever she called them arrogant womanisers, sleazes or insulted them in anyway. She spent a lot of her first year crying up in her dorm because of the names she had been called, not just from the Marauders but from other students as well. By the time she started her second year she acted like the names didn't have any effect on her what so ever and eventually as time passed they didn't. Even then when the insults from the Marauders eventually stopped they still treated her like dirt.

Out of the four marauders Lily actually liked and respected Remus Lupin. He had a hard childhood, what with being a werewolf and everything. Although Remus didn't know that she knew. She respected that he didn't want people knowing and the fact that he was a werewolf didn't change what she thought of him, if fact it made her respect him more. They didn't really talk until last year when Remus was made the other 5th year Gryffindor prefect; he was the only candidate in Lily's eyes. The thing Lily admired Remus about the most was that he had his values and no one could change them. He didn't get as many detentions as Sirius and James did and he knew when the pranks they pulled crossed the line. Basically Lily wished she had Remus' ability to balance both her authority and have fun as well. She was trying though.

This year she was going to let her walls down and show people who she really is.

* * *

"Oh my bad Evan's I was just trying to find a carriage, you haven't seen Remus or Peter by any chance have you?" James asked perfectly calm.

There was no, hey Evan's I was hoping I'd bump into you, wanna go out with me? Or Evan's you're looking particularly radiant today; I think we'd be a perfect couple, so how bout it want to go out with me? He was being nice and acting like he was capable of a perfectly normal conversation.

"Um no I haven't." Lily stuttered not sure how to reply to James' attitude.

"Oh okay thanks anyway, see you around." James replied walking around her and down the compartment, turning back he got her attention. "Oh Evan's I'm sorry about ruining your friendship with Snape. He was your best friend and I ruined that for you." James added before hurrying down the corridor in the hopes of finding an empty compartment he could duck into.

Lily shook her head, wondering if she hadn't just imagined what had just happened. Dumping her trunk in the next empty compartment she saw, Lily started to make her way off the train and back to her parents who had braved their way through the barrier. Not Petunia though, she must have stormed back to the car. She was about to step back onto the platform when she heard footsteps behind her getting louder like the person was running to catch up to her. This must be Snape; he must have seen her and wanted to catch her before she stepped off the train. Without turning around to see if she was correct she quickened her pace slightly so it didn't look like she was trying to get away from her pursuer.

She wasn't that lucky. Snape or whoever it was grabbed her left arm and pulled her back. Lily turned around ready to slap Snape or kick him where no boy wants to be kicked only to see James' standing in front of her wearing his arrogant smile. She knew what was coming. Every year it was the same. This was just the start to a year full of torture.

"Hey Evan's you forgot something." James told her.

He was going to ask her out, asking her out and embarrassing her in front of the students at Hogwarts but, right within earshot of her parents was the worst thing she could think of. This was the earliest he had ever asked her, her response had already formed on her lips. It wasn't hard, it was basically rehearsed. She had said no so many times she had perfected how to say it with enough hatred and annoyance.

"Evans do you want to make this year more enjoyable and go out with me?" James asked arrogantly showing of his perfect teeth. Grr he was so cocky.

"NO!" Lily screamed louder than she had intended.

Lily stormed off yanking her arm out of James' grip and walked off to say goodbye to her parents flustered. Everyone was staring at her; her cheeks had gone bright red. No amount of make-up could hide the embarrassment she was feeling right now. Meanwhile James had just shrugged off her rejection and jumped off the train to meet his friends, muttering next time she'll say yes.

"Let me guess, that's James Potter." Her father chuckled having seen and enjoyed the scene that had just unfolded. It bet any day at the office. "The-"

"Arrogant toerag, yes." Lily said bitterly.

"You know I can go talk to him. Tell him to back away from my baby girl." Anthony Evans told his daughter who nodded as a reply.

She looked so fired up; he had to do something, although he had an alternative reason for talking to this James Potter than what he told Lily and his wife.

Lily watched her father approach James Potter and his friends while standing near the barrier with her mother.

"James Potter."

"Yes." James replied turning around to face whoever was speaking to him.

"Hi, I'm Anthony Evans, you know my daughter-" Anthony began to say.

James was confused at first but connecting the word daughter with Evans made his face light up with realisation. "You're Evan's father."

Sirius, Remus and Peter snickered from behind James as they saw James' charming smile he used to win everyone over drop. It was no secret that James loved to rile up Lily, especially since everyone on the platform saw and heard James get rejected once again.

Remus and even Sirius had told him to stop badgering her and in Remus' case show her he could be someone other than an arrogant toerag as she loved to call him. According to Sirius though he needed to date other girls and get over his pointless Lily Evans obsession that he had be infatuated with for the last three years or so.

"Yes, I'm Lily's father, hence the identical last name." Anthony replied sarcastically but he's tone showed he wasn't annoyed. In fact he was enjoying the way it made James squirm while his friends thought it was hilarious. "I noticed that you were bugging my daughter just before and I was wondering if we could perhaps have a quick word before you went off to school."

"Ok." James managed to squeak, trying to hide the fact that he was trembling at being caught out by Lily's father. He guessed he had overdone the whole annoy her until she gave in act. The thing was every time he tried to talk to her, he couldn't think straight and she always ended up storming off after screaming, shouting or yelling no.

As Anthony led James off to the side away from his friends who found the whole situation hilarious. Remus couldn't wait to say I told you so to James. Sirius was hoping that James would finally see reason and finally accept the fact that he could do so much better than goody-goody two shoes miss prefect Lily Evans, while Peter decided he would just agree with whatever Remus and Sirius came up with.

"Now James, I hope you don't mind me calling you James, but I can't help but notice that you like my daughter." Anthony said rather cheerfully.

In reply James nodded hoping he would get the shouting and warning over and done with so he could go back and join his friends.

"Lily thinks I've come over her to tell you to stay away from her, instead I'm here to tell you to stick in there and just be patient."

"What?" James asked taken aback, his voice croaky. He did not expect this at all.

"Yes, I can tell you now that she'll come around eventually as long as you show her that you truly like her?" Anthony advised him.

"I've tried sir, I really have and how do you know she'll come around?" James asked him knowing this was more than he expected.

"Father's instinct my boy." He replied sounding just like Slughorn. "Every time she comes home she is always complaining about you and your mischievous friends. What do you call yourselves, The Musketeers?"

"Marauders." James corrected.

"Yes The Marauders, you see Lily has never once mentioned any other boy from your school except for that Snape fellow, which by the looks of things I'm guessing the two are no longer friends." Anthony continued.

"Yes, that was my fault, I'm sorry sir." James said apologetically, he hated when he made Lily upset, "I don't know why you're telling me this she tells me constantly that I get on her nerves."

"Yes that's the thing, you get on her nerves and secretly she likes you, she doesn't want you knowing this because the James Potter she likes is the person you could be if you weren't constantly annoying her. Now if you truly want my daughter to show that she likes you back, I would suggest that you be your true self around her and show her that you don't have to pretend to be the James Potter the whole school knows."

"But I am myself, I never pretend." James admitted.

"Everyone pretends, everyone hides something you just have to find what it is." Anthony told him. "Ok so for the first couple of weeks, maybe even the first month I would act like I scared you away from my daughter before you show her who you really are."

"But..." James started to reply, except there was no use, Anthony Evans was already walking away.

"I hope to hear that there are some improvements the next time I see my daughter." Anthony yelled over his shoulder back to James who was standing there dumbfounded.

"I hope that does the job sweetheart." Anthony whispered to Lily once he re-joined his daughter and wife.

"Thankyou daddy, I'm going to miss you." Lily said tearfully hugging him around the neck like she always did. "I'll miss you to mum, don't worry I'll write whenever I can and tell you all about my NEWT classes and everything that's happening."

Lily hugged her mum and dad a couple more times before saying her final farewells and hoping on the train with two minutes to spare. Hopefully in that time she could find Brooke before the prefects meeting. She wasn't sure, but when she turned back to wave to her parents one last time she could have sworn that her dad winked at James Potter. She shook it off though as being the trick of the light. He was probably squinting at something; maybe he saw something new that Lily hadn't explained to him yet. That was the most logical explanation she could come up with, it was more possible than winking at James Potter that's for sure.

* * *

Even if the platform was completely crowded with all the students and their families Severus Snape was able to find Lily hugging her parents even with the smoke from the scarlet train clouding his vision. He just had to get her to forgive him, she was his only friend. His summer holidays had been unbearable without her. Now because of the word he said, she wouldn't even look his way. He was in the spot they agreed to meet at every year except this year. This year it seemed she wasn't going to forgive him. But she had to, he was going to go crazy and do something stupid if she didn't. There was no life at Hogwarts without Lily Evans by your side. All he had to do was corner her, once the prefect's meeting finished and get her to accept his apology. After all he had been trying to apologise to her all holidays, surely that gave him some merit.

It was a shame that the prefects meeting started as soon as the train left, Lily had no chance on catching up with her friends until afterwards, luckily they had already planned the compartment they would be sitting in ensure that Lily would not need to lug her trunk around.

"Hey Lily." Remus greeted her, stepping out of the crowd to walk besides her.

"Hey Remus, how were you're holidays?" Lily asked politely, knowing that he probably didn't have the best holiday.

"Oh they were alright I guess, in a way I'm glad I'm back here." Remus replied. "I saw your dad give James a piece of his mind."

"Yeah what exactly did my dad say to him?" Lily asked.

"I don't know but I think he scared James off you. Do you really hate him that much?" Remus asked her.

"Yes, he's arrogant, ignorant, constantly asks me out when he knows I'll say no. Only cares about himself and likes to pick on others weaker than him to make himself look better. He's constantly messing up his hair and along with Sirius and even you; you all act like you run the school." Lily huffed.

"So it's only one or two things." Remus replied sarcastically. He felt that if Lily gave James a chance she would realise he was more than just those things. After all James was always there for him and didn't care that he was a werewolf, not many wizards or witches would act the same. Lily herself would probably freak out a first, but Remus hoped that if she ever found out she wouldn't completely treat him like a monster.

"I'm not done." Lily said much to Remus' dislike. "He doesn't respect anyone, treats girls like dirt then still expects me to go out with him. He doesn't study or even try in class and still gets outstanding results. It's a wonder he can actually fly on his stupid broom with that big head of his." Lily snarled forgetting that she was talking to Remus, one of James' best friends.

"You know if you just gave him a chance maybe you'd be surprised with who James really is." Remus suggested hoping to stop her from being so biased.

"I already know who he really is." Lily huffed and stormed off, heading to the prefects compartment by herself leaving Remus to trail behind.

"She deserves better than him." Snape said butting in to the finished conversation.

"If she deserves better than him who would you suggest because it's certainly not you." Remus told the greasy haired Slytherin.

The funny thing was Remus thought that James and Lily would be good for each other; they could balance each other out. If only she would stop shouting at him and if only he would stop pestering her.

* * *

"Alright everyone, we just need a few people to patrol tonight. I know it might sound crazy but a lot of people try to break curfew on the first day back because they believe that no one's patrolling and those that aren't patrolling tonight will be required to patrol along the train." Mary said, as the new Head Girl she was entitled to control all the prefects.

Only three students, Lily among them agreed to patrol after the feast was over while everyone else was told to patrol along the train.

"Ok everyone, you're dismissed." The Head Boy, Jake said after looking at Mary for confirmation. "Lily, Marlene and myself will be patrolling tonight, the rest of you will be patrolling at 30 minute intervals, see Mary for a time."

Everyone got up and left, after Mary told the prefects when they were patrolling. Lily and Brooke who was the 6th year female Ravenclaw prefect wanted to stay back to offer their congratulations to Mary on making Head Girl. Snape who had noticed that Lily was waiting around decided to linger outside in the shadows so he could ambush her and beg for her forgiveness when she walked out.

"Hey Mary congratulations." Lily said cheerfully once everyone had left leaving the girls alone.

"Thanks Lily, I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. Most of the stuff I said I just made up on the spot." Mary admitted.

"I think all the Head's do, but you deserve it, you've been a great role model for everyone and heaps of people look up to you even half the Slytherin's do." Lily praised.

"Well I'm sure one of you will be Head Girl next year, the choice is really only between you two," Mary told them. "So Lily what's this I hear about you letting your hair down at Brooke's party?"

Lily explained what happened and how she didn't feel like the know it all book worm that was either studying or reading all the time was her. She told Mary that she wanted to escape from being that person and enjoy Hogsmeade trips and parties.

"What brought this on? I think it's great, but why now?" Mary asked her.

"I think it has to do with Snape, when I went to Brooke's he wasn't there and I was just able to enjoy myself and didn't have to hold back because he wasn't friends with the people there. I guess I just feel like I am a different person now that he's not my friend."

"You know what; I'll think it'll be good for you. In a way Snape has kept you as this person with a small social life, and I think he even controlled you a little bit. Now you can do whatever you want. Hell you can even be friends with the Marauders and go out with James. You're a free woman now." Mary told her packing up the last of her things so she could leave. She felt like she needed to leave Lily thinking about the last thing. Basically everyone in the Gryffindor tower could see that James truly liked Lily and were just waiting for the time that Lily finally said yes. There had been a bet going since Mary was in fourth year.

* * *

"Hey Lily." Snape said cheerfully as the three girls walked past him.

Lily ignored him, she knew he was there; she just didn't want to acknowledge him.

"Lily wait." Snape said grabbing her arm and pulling her back. It was similar to the way James did, except Snape was gripping her arm with more force. It was hard to believe that James Potter who was stronger than Snape had grabbed her gently.

"Leave me alone Snape." Lily snarled.

"Come on Lily, I'm trying to apologise, I didn't mean what I said. Can you please just forgive me and we can go back to being friends." Snape asked also begging.

"Let go off me, you're hurting me." Lily said gritting her teeth to ignore the pain.

Brooke and Mary hadn't realised that Snape had been waiting, kept walking and only just turned around when they realised Lily wasn't with them.

"Sorry, I'll let you go when you forgive me." Snape told her sternly.

"No I can't forgive you. You were meant to be my friend but you're not and you weren't then either. I act like what you said doesn't affect me but coming from you, that name hurts more than anything Potter and his friends have called me." Lily told him.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean what I said, let's just be friends again. You deserve better than you're air head Gryffindor dorm mates and the Marauders. You deserve way better than Potter." Snape said trying to reason with her.

"Hey," Brooke exclaimed having heard what Snape had said. "Lily's friends are not air heads, I bet their even smarter than you, now leave Lily alone and fuck off to your evil buddies."

Lily who didn't need Brooke to fight her battles was red with anger, her hair actually looked like it was on fire whenever she was angry and this time was no exception. He could insult Potter all he wanted, but it was extremely petty of him to insult her friends. "Those air head Gryffindor's you're describing are some of the best people I have met and all of them fit into the top 20 students of our year and of course I deserve better than Potter, he teases me all the time, but at least he isn't a Death Eater wannabe like you. I'd pick Potter over you if you were the last two human beings on earth."

"What did you just say?" Snape yelled gripping her arm tighter, as he raised his other arm to shake her.

"You heard me, you want to be a Death Eater than fine, but don't beg for my forgiveness when you don't deserve it." Lily shouted at him. "Now let me go."

"Lily please." Snape begged still holding onto her tightly.

Lily managed to grab her wand out of her pocket and point it towards him. "Don't call me Lily anymore. It's Evans to you."

"Lily come on I'd do anything to show that I didn't mean it."

"You aren't even listening to me. Stay away from me Death Eater." Lily screamed raising her wand and sending the first hex she could think of at him.

James and Sirius who had heard the commotion finally arrived to save the day, but Lily was already walking away and Snape was on the floor tentacles coming out of his arms and legs.

"Wow Evan's did this." Sirius exclaimed.

"Looks like it." James replied in awe, she'd only ever hexed him when she was really angry and it was never as bad as this.

Her friendship with good old Snivellus was clearly over and done with. A fact that gave James hope that maybe Lily would see that he was better than Snape and realise that he was a worthy boyfriend.

"We'll now she's a hypocrite." Sirius chuckled although he was impressed but he was never going to admit it.

* * *

 **Hopefully this chapter wasn't too long and I'm sorry for any bad grammar or spelling mistakes. I really struggled with describing Peter. I feel like he's more complex than some people make out and I just don't know how to describe him, but I want to show that he is a true friend to James, Sirius and Peter even if the rest of the school doesn't see it. So the next few chapters are going to drift away from Lily and James and I'm going to focus on Brooke for the next few chapters.  
Hope you've enjoyed this little snippet so far. Hopefully I'll be updating regularly but I'm not going to make promises I can't keep.  
SpringBabe.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

"So anyway the wedding is going to be during the Christmas holidays and I was hoping you'd be able to come." Brooke suggested to Lily as they walked towards the Great Hall.

"Like as you're plus one or as an invited guest?" Lily asked although she doubted she would be an invited guest.

"Well you'd be my plus one, come on say yes. It'll be more fun bringing you than trying to find a boyfriend who probably wouldn't get along with my dad anyway." Brooke explained lightly.

"I dunno, can I think about it?" Lily asked she was tired and hungry; the fact that she had rounds to do later wasn't helping her mood either.

"Yeah sure." Brooke replied sounding slightly dejected.

The two girls separated, Brooke going to the Ravenclaw table where she found a seat near Marlene who was thankfully sitting away from Samara and Marina while, Lily followed Sarah, Holly, Donna and Lucy to the Gryffindor table. The Marauders also joined the girls much to Lily's annoyance, but thankfully James was too busy talking to Sirius to bother Lily.

Throughout dinner James and Sirius kept to themselves while Remus and Peter talked with the girls, Remus who got on well with the five girls was discussing their OWLS and what classes they were taking with Peter butting in when it was appropriate. Lily couldn't help but overhear Sirius and James talking about a blonde Ravenclaw that Sirius had never seen before, while pointing to Brooke.

Well Black has no chance there Lily thought; Brooke has standards and doesn't date womanisers.

After an uneventful dinner making small talk with Marlene and her roommates Brooke trudged up to the Ravenclaw dormitories alone wanting to make it back before Marina or Samara returned. Her other roommate Isabella would probably be too busy snogging her boyfriend to even care.

Isabella used to be friends with Marina and Samara before she started dating Kyle, after that the two girls had isolated her. Brooke had been hoping to Isabella would become friendly to her, but apparently that was just wishful thinking and Isabella spent all her free time with Kyle, she didn't even come back to their dorms to sleep.

Brooke hadn't even made it up the first flight of stairs when someone blocked her path. Of course this movement startled her causing her to lose her balance, but thankfully her saviour reached out to pull her upright before she fell backwards down the stairs.

As Brooke looked up to thank her saviour since plummeting down the stairs would have been an embarrassing sight, especially in front of the lingering first years she identified her saviour.

Sirius Black.

"So what do I get in return for saving the fair maiden?" The dark haired boy asked rendering Brooke speechless.

Brooke had to pinch herself, The Sirius Black had stopped to talk to her, not only that but he had saved her from falling down the stairs. She didn't even know what to say, 'can I lick your abs' would probably freak him out and then cause him to always refer to her as the weird Ravenclaw.

"If you haven't come up with anything, how about you meet me in the third broom cupboard from the Charms classroom on the 5th floor in an hour and you can thank me then." Sirius whispered in her ear, letting his lips linger for a few seconds until Brooke nodded before he continued up the stairs where his friends were waiting.

Brooke who was too mesmerised to think. She hadn't even realised that she had agreed to meet the notorious womanising Sirius Black in a broom closet. The hottest guy in the school, the guy with long shaggy black hair and a grin that could make girls melt. Eyes that could charm even the professors. A guy who had managed to seduce Brooke into a broom cupboard in 30 seconds.

Lily would be so disappointed, Brooke wasn't supposed to be so weak-willed and give in to Sirius Black's request, no matter how much she wanted to. Shaking her head at the thought of what Lily would think she quicken her pace up the stairs, after all she only had an hour to make herself presentable.

"Wait what am I thinking, I don't go snogging random guys in broom cupboards, even if Sirius Black asks me to. That's it, I'm not going, I'll just go up to the Gryffindor dorms and see what the other girls are doing, after I change out of my robes." Brooke decided talking to herself. "Luckily no one's around to question the crazy girl talking to herself."

Pushing open the door to the 6th year girl's room Brooke stopped short when she was met with another girl she had never seen before sitting on a new bed that wasn't in the room last year.

"Ah, I'm pretty sure I'm in the right room." Brooke stated, closing the door to double check that it said 6th year girls before opening it again.

At the sound of the door reopening the stranger turned around to face Brooke. "Hi, I'm Kristy; I'm guessing you're one of my roommates?" Kristy greeted cheerfully getting off the bed and moving to face Brooke.

"I'm Brooke. Sorry to sound rude, but why are you here. I didn't see you at the feast and I'm sure I would have seen you get sorted with the first years." Brooke asked. Hopefully Kristy was friendly and would side with her over Marina and Samara. It would be nice to have a friend in her year that was in her house.

"I've transferred from the Salem's academy in America. My parents are going through a messy divorce so rather than get me involved they shipped me off to my grandparents who live in Scotland, and since they're still fighting over finances everyone thought it would be better if I transferred here. I got sorted last night, and I wasn't at the feast because I wanted to surprise Marina." Kristy explained.

"You know Marina?"

"Yes she's my cousin, although she's a pain in the arse sometimes." Kristy added.

"Sometimes, try all the time." Brooke snickered.

The door to their room opened again as Samara and Marina walked in. They had been delayed since Marina wanted to stop and chat with the Marauders. However she was unaware that the Marauders left the Great Hall early which is how Brooke bumped into Sirius.

"Kristy, you actually came, don't bother talking to Brooke, she's a blood traitor and a Gryffindor wannabe, you'll be better sticking with us, we'll guide you through the social goings of Hogwarts."

Kristy threw Brooke an apologetic look, clearly she didn't believe in what Marina said, but it still hurt that Kristy did nothing to show that she knew Marina was in the wrong.

Rather than showing how hurt Marina's comment made her Brooke busied herself in the bathroom and changed out of her uniform, pulling on some jeans and a black sweater Brooke threw her cloak back on and made her way to the door. She had decided that she would see if Sirius Black was really as great as everyone said he was.

"That's right go run off to the Gryffindorks." Marina shouted as Brooke fled the room.

Brooke wanted to tell Marina where to shove it and to let her know that she was actually going to meet up with Sirius Black. That would really set Marina off, but something stopped her.

There were still a few people wandering around the castle as Brooke made her way down to the fifth floor, but luckily no one was around when she reached the third broom cupboard from the charms classroom.

What was she supposed to do now, was she supposed to enter the cupboard and just wait in the dark if he wasn't in there? What if this was a prank? Was she supposed to wait outside for Sirius to walk along so they could enter together? What was the broom cupboard etiquette?

"What am I doing? I don't want to become some kind of scarlet woman, and I really don't need to make out with Sirius Black just for him to ditch me like every other girl." Brooke muttered as she stopped in front of the broom cupboard. "This is a mistake; I'm going to find the other girls."

Just as she was about to leave the door opened an arm pulled her into the small dark space.

"Having second thoughts," Sirius' whispered in his deep husky voice. "Or are you not a broom cupboard girl?"

"Why don't I show you what kind of girl I am?" Brooke suggested trying to sound more confident then she felt as she reached up to kiss Sirius. All it took for Brooke's brain to go to mush was Sirius' lips crashing against her own.

When Mary had said that the first night back was when students were more likely to break curfew she must have been talking about a different castle. For the full hour and half of Lily's patrol the hallways were deserted and the broom cupboards were all empty.

As there seemed to be no night time activity Lily started to head back to the Gryffindor tower. It wasn't until she heard a bang from a broom cupboard on the fifth floor that she stopped. Groaning because her night had been peaceful until this moment Lily mentally prepared herself, after all this was the third broom cupboard from the charms classroom which according to rumours was Sirius Black's snogging cupboard, and of course when she opened the door she found Sirius Black making out with one of the schools many bimbos who just wanted to get in Sirius Black's pants. Although since it was only the first night back, Lily knew that there would be no sex. Rumour had it that his rule was that he would commit to a girl for three weeks before having sex with her.

"Black I should have known, who else would be sneaking around the castle after curfew on the first night back just to find a good broom closet to snog the next hottest…" Lily drifted off, finally noticing who the next hottest bimbo on Black's list was.

"Oh hey." Brooke muttered to Lily before glaring at Sirius for getting them caught. "I should probably go." Brooke muttered grabbing her cloak off the floor before running off.

"Evan's, it's nice to see you again. Still a prefect I see. You know you're dad seemed to have scared James quite a bit. When he came back after talking to your father he was all pale and couldn't string a sentence together." Sirius said using friendly bantered to try and win his way out of this situation. It never worked with Lily just like it never worked with McGonagall either.

"Black it's only the first night, was your summer completely womanless that you had to seduce the first girl you saw. Have you ever thought that maybe you could last a day without getting a detention?" Lily scolded not at all amused by his fake friendly banter. "And how about you give it a rest and save the girls at this school a night without using them? It's reckless and irresponsible the way you carry out snogging anything with legs and breasts."

Lily didn't notice the look on Sirius' face and how his eyes got darker due to anger when she made the assumption about his summer.

"Don't you dare assume things about me, you have no idea what my summer was like, and maybe you should have a go at the girl as well. Or better yet maybe you should pull that stick out of your arse and start acting like a teenager. You act like you can do no wrong so stop with this attitude and leave the rest of us who are trying to have a life alone."

Lily refused to show how insulted she felt, "you don't even know her name. You're a pig Black you've been making out with her for the past… I don't know how long, I don't even want to know and you didn't ask for her name."

"Hey she's as much to blame in this as I am. Maybe you should go find her and interrogate her as well." Sirius suggested angrily. Lily always blamed him. He was always in trouble with her, the girls never were.

"I don't believe you, she's a human being and you've treated her like crap." Lily yelled at him.

"Well since you know her name, are you going to tell me?" Sirius knowing full well that she wasn't going to.

"You're despicable. I'm going to have a word with McGonagall tomorrow." Lily huffed storming off the Gryffindor tower.

By the time Lily got to her dormitory her anger had diffused and she was able to restrain from blowing up at Brooke, who was already there sitting on Lily's bed talking with the other girls, over her stupidity.

"Lily I can explain." Brooke said hoping off the bed.

"How can you explain, I caught you snogging Black. No explanation is needed." Lily said harshly.

"You snogged Sirius." Lucy interrupted shocked. "I never thought he was your type."

"Well he is, I've liked him for the past two years but since he's never noticed me-"

"You've got that right he doesn't even know your name." Lily told her, her anger over the situation returning. How could Brooke have feelings for a guy who didn't even know her name?

"Yeah I know, I tried but there's just something about him and I can't get rid of the feelings."

"Look I get it, you're attracted to him and he's charm, every girl is." Lily replied.

"Wait what?" Donna exclaimed. "Miss Lily Evans explain yourself."

"What's to explain, I'm female and he's good looking, it isn't rocket science." Lily admitted, "Oh don't look at me like that I'm not a robot I have feelings and emotions as well. Anyway after a while his attitude becomes obnoxious and I realised that looks aren't everything."

"But they are something, anyway you can't help who you like Brooke, sometimes you get over quickly and sometimes it takes time." Lucy explained.

"Why Lucy, who do like then." Holly gushed.

"It's not about me, it's about Brooke, and we'll help you get through it." Lucy said going over to give Brooke a hug. The other girls joined in as well.

"I know and I try not to get my hopes up but every girl dreams to be asked out by the best looking guy in the school." Brooke told her with a dreamy expression on her face. "I wasn't even going to enter the broom cupboard, but he just has this way of convincing you that the right decision is snogging him."

Lily was taken aback for a few seconds, Brooke's words floating through her mind. _It's every girls dream to be asked out by the best looking guy in the school_ , if that was true why did Lily think it was a curse?

"So what was he like?" Holly asked once the laughter died down. Besides Lily she was the only one in the room who had not kissed Sirius Black. "Is he as good as they say he is?"

"Well I couldn't stop kissing him, even though I knew that it was a bad idea I couldn't stop kissing him, and the way he moves his hands-"

Brooke was interrupted by Lily. "Alright that's enough I don't want to know where he's hands went."

"It wasn't like that, his hands were only in my hair, but the way he grabbed my hair, it made me feel like he couldn't get enough of me either." Brooke sighed. "Donna what was it like when you kissed him?"

"Um, well I was expecting fireworks and I was disappointed, when I snogged him nothing extraordinary happened, it was just a snog." Donna told her honestly.

Sarah and Lucy also replied with the same.

"I think that's why I didn't care when he was caught snogging Christina, besides attraction I didn't feel anything else for him." Sarah added.

"Oh." Brooke mumbled.

Each girl knew what that meant; Brooke felt more than physical attraction for him.

"Oh Brooke." Donna exclaimed going over to hug the girl.

"It's way after curfew and we all need to get some rest, Brooke you can stay here tonight I've got some clean PJs you can wear." Lily said breaking the silence that had occurred. The girls needed to find some way to help Brooke get over her crush before she got seriously hurt.

"I still think it needs to be shorter." Donna commented noting the length of Lily's school robes.

"Why it's the length it's supposed to be?" Lily replied hoisting up the hem, experimenting with the length.

"You just told us you thought the robes should be shorter, when we woke up you told us you needed help in showing the school who you really are. I agree with Donna, it needs to be shorter." Lucy interjected.

Brooke had left their room earlier so she could make it back to her dorm and get changed for breakfast while the other girls had agreed to project: Real Lily, before they tried to find a solution to Brooke's situation.

"Well they would be more comfortable if they were shorter, but how does that show who I really am?" Lily asked.

"Well for one, you're the only girl in this school that wears them at the required length and secondly it's going to show off your amazing legs, believe me it makes your legs look a lot longer." Donna told the red head.

"Lily, whatever you do you're gorgeous. If you want I can style you're hair differently, just let me know." Sarah exclaimed.

"Will it surprise everyone if I don't take all my classes for NEWTs because I defiantly don't want to?" Lily admitted as she begun to shorten her robes.

"Yes," All four of them said in sync.

Brooke had come down a little later than normally but sat with the five Gryffindor's since she was not in the mood to tell with Marina this morning. "Can you five girls stay back after breakfast in order to sort out what classes you want to take this year?" Professor McGonagall said as she was walking down the table handing out timetables to the younger years. "Miss Jameson Professor Flitwick will be doing the same so you'll need to find him once breakfast is over."

Brooke just nodded and helped herself to breakfast. McGonagall was used to Brooke eating with the Gryffindor girls and allowed it to continue after Lily sprouted some nonsense about inter house unity. Although it was obvious to some of the teachers that Brooke did not get along with her roommates.

Once breakfast had finished Brooke said goodbye to the other girls and went to join the other Ravenclaws who were waiting for Flitwick to appear.

"So that's the Marauders then. I can't believe how lucky you are to have Sirius Black as your boyfriend. All the guys here are so much hotter than the guys from Salem. I can't believe you've been living with hotties like this for five years." Kristy gushed to Marina as they walked over. Samara was standing awkwardly to the side trying to add to the conversation, but couldn't as Marina took over.

"What are you looking at Jameson?" Marina sneered giving Brooke a once over. "You know it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversation don't you."

Brooke was still trying to grasp how Marina was Sirius' girlfriend after she had snogged the guy last night. Black wasn't the girlfriend type and he wasn't a cheater either from what Brooke heard. He was more of the dump them for the next one kind of guy.

"Oh whatever, just run along to the Gryffindorks." Marina said shoving past Brooke making sure she bumped her shoulder.

When Flitwick appeared the girls formed a line, Brooke somehow managed to find herself in between Samara and Kristy.

"So Brooke what classes are you going to take?" Kristy asked trying to be polite.

Taken aback Brooke managed to stammer her reply. "Oh um, I'm going to take Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Herbology, Potions and Transfiguration. Oh and Muggle Studies as well."

"Ah so you're taking the fatal five then." Kirsty stated.

"Huh." Brooke stated feeling clueless.

"Oh sorry, it's what my brother called those subjects; they're the core subjects to become a healer or an auror. They're also handy if you want to be an unspeakable, but it helps to have background in both Arithmacy and Ancient Runes." Kristy explained. "What about you Samara?"

"I got decent enough OWLS to take any subject but I'll definitely be taking Potions and Herbology they're my best subjects." Samara told the new girl.

Brooke turned away from the discussion in confusion and a little surprised that Samara didn't mind getting her hands dirty. It was common knowledge that Marina refused to touch anything in Potions that was part of an animal or required squeezing out the juice and she defiantly didn't go anywhere near the mulch in Herbology, but to find out that Samara was the opposite surprised Brooke. Although now it explained why their paired Herbology tasks were always completed.

"I'm also thinking of taking Defence and Charms." Samara added. "What about you Kristy."

"I'm probably going to take Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures." Kristy explained. "I want to get a job where I can work with magical creatures, apparently there's a dragon reserve in Romania that has a better reputation than the one in America."

"That sounds like a really cool job, just a warning though, our Care of Magical Creatures Professor is insane." Brooke told Kristy, feeling that she shouldn't cast Kristy aside as the enemy yet. So far she seemed nice and polite when Marina wasn't around.

 **A/N**

 **Hi guys, so I'll try and update regularly, but I can't make any promises because life gets in the way sometimes. So here is a bit more, sorry if it's boring but there's a lot of detail to cover and characters to introduce. Next chapter will feature more of the Marauders.**

 **Also I had written the first six of these chapters previously over the past couple of years and am now going back over them to make them better and internet worthy.**

 **I had originally placed Brooke in Gryffindor but have recently changed my mind about what house she should be in, I also had Marina, Samara and Kristy placed in Gryffindor originally as well, but changed them to Ravenclaw when I changed Brooke so if I accidentally say they're from Gryffindor that's why.**

 **Anyway hope you are enjoying it so far, please leave a review or add this story to your favourites list to let me know what you think. Hopefully the romance will heat up soon.  
SpringBabe. **


	4. Chapter 4

"Afternoon ladies, how are we all this fine day." Sirius Black said strutting through the Great Hall and down the Gryffindor table like he owned the place.

Sarah, Donna and Lucy rolled their eyes while Lily glared at the intruder. Meanwhile Brooke who had decided to sit with them again was staring down at her plate not wanting to give Sirius the satisfaction of knowing how much he affected her after that kiss. She had managed to avoid looking at him, in both her classes this morning, as he sauntered in to Muggle Studies late not paying attention to his surroundings and was too busy joking around with James Potter and Remus Lupin to look around the potions classroom and see who was in his class. Brooke however always made sure to check out who was in her class, it helped to know who she could possibly be paired up with for group assignments in the future.

"Evans I was thinking about last night. I realised what a complete arse I was." Sirius told her with a mock apology.

To his response Lily rolled her eyes, Brooke remained silent still refusing to look up while the other girls stared at Sirius in shock.

Lily shot a quick glance to her best friend before turning to Sirius. "Please, if only I had a galleon for every time I heard that, I would be rich. You and your pal Potter don't respect woman and I don't have any respect for you. You've wasted enough of my morning I think you should leave." Lily told him harshly trying to make her words as cold as she could.

"Come on Evans you were completely right, I should know her name, I shouldn't have let her run off like she did either and I should have shown her that I cared and I… YOU!" Sirius cut himself off as he finally realised that Brooke was sitting right there. "You're the one from last night, the one that Lily caught me with."

Shocked at being recognised, Brooke looked up at Sirius with wide eyes, quickly she composed herself, not willing to give in and let herself get hurt by wishing for more from him. "Yes thank you for establishing that, I was trying so hard to remember who I was with last night so thank you for jogging my memory. You heard Lily you're not welcomed here it's time for you to leave." Brooke told Sirius looking straight into his eyes and trying to push all her anger and hate into her words. No matter how much she wished he would sit down next to her and put his arm around her back she knew that sending him away was better for her in the long run.

"Well aren't they are cheerful bunch." Sirius muttered to himself as he moved down to where the other three marauders sat. "What has their wand in a knot?"

"What's up with you?" James asked as Sirius sat down with a glum expression.

"Am I losing my touch?" Sirius asked not bothering to give the others any sort of clue as to what he was talking about.

"What are you talking about?" James asked buttering a breakfast roll and adding it to his plate.

"With the women, everyone adores me and yet I was just sent away just then. Every girl here begs for a second night in a broom closet and that chick over there who can kiss. Boy can she kiss she just looked at me like I was dirt." Sirius rambled.

"Why don't you tell us what's really bothering you?" Remus asked him sarcastically. Poor me, I'm Sirius Black every girl adores me and wants a night in a broom closet."

"Yes but a girl has never said no to me." Sirius whined.

"Well now they have, get used to it." Remus snapped. "Maybe if you treat girls right the good ones would come back. Anyway I have to talk to the Head Boy and Girl, I'll see you both later." Remus said storming out the Great Hall.

"What's his problem?" Sirius asked.

"I dunno, so was this girl from last night good?" James asked between bowls of cereal.

"All we did was snog Prongs, but yeah that was pretty amazing. Probably one of the best." Sirius replied not looking at James instead looking at his empty plate.

"What's her name?"

"I dunno she never told me, she's friends with Evans I think." Sirius replied looking over at Lily and the girl he snogged the night.

Brooke could feel him staring at her but she refused to look up. She was going to avoid him for as long as she could and that was going to be for the rest of the year. She was not going to catch him with Marina or any other girl. She had him for the night and it was an amazing experience. She could now say she'd kissed Sirius Black. That's all she needed. If that was the case why did she feel like she was breaking her own heart?

"Which one?" Peter asked joining in the conversation.

He had followed the gaze of his two friends. James was too caught up starring at Lily, to be bothered trying to work out which girl was Sirius' mystery girl. Peter on the other hand wanted to know. Sirius never lasted with a girl and this time Peter had a plan. When Sirius rejected this girl Peter would be there to comfort her and then she would see how much better Peter was than Sirius.

"Her. The Ravenclaw one across from Lily, with the longish blonde hair." Sirius said pointing her out to James and Peter even though James was no longer paying attention to him.

Peter froze at the sight. Sirius had snogged Brooke. Brooke had always told him that Sirius was never her type. That she hated guys like that, yet Sirius claimed he had kissed her. Did Brooke want to, or was she trying to push him away? Obviously there was a reason why she never told him her name and he wasn't going to tell him either.

"I thought Lily was friends with Snape?" Peter asked, trying to hide that time stopped for a few seconds.

"Are you crazy, after what he called her? She wants nothing to do with him." James told Peter without taking his eyes off of Lily.

"Oh yeah." Peter mumbled. He hated when James and Sirius made him feel stupid. Remus hardly ever did but there were times when Remus got carried away and didn't even realise he was doing it. James, Sirius and Remus just clicked; they didn't have to try to fit in with each other. Peter on the other hand, he always had to watch what he said and how he acted because if he didn't the other three would see that he didn't belong and just forget about him.

* * *

"So how should we celebrate the first day back?" James asked swiping his hand through his hair as he walked towards the Transfiguration classroom with the other three marauders.

"Oh I know, we can turn the Slytherin common room pink." Peter exclaimed with excitement.

Sirius, Remus and James turned to look at him with incredulous expressions, "Pete we did that back in second year, we need something better. More exciting." Remus told him.

"Oh yeah right." Peter replied quietly, hanging his head in shame.

"It needs to occur in the Great Hall during dinner." Sirius told them.

"Yes how about we turn the Slytherin's into snakes, the Hufflepuff's into badgers, Ravenclaw's into ravens and Gryffindor's into lions." Peter suggested, feeling like this was the greatest idea since they became animagi.

Sirius and James turned to face Peter, "come on Pete, be creative, the wannabe pranksters tried that last year." Sirius tutted. "Maybe you should just leave the ideas to the rest of us."

"We need something big, something that tops last year." James told them.

"And something to impress the girl I was with last night. Sooner or later she'll want me back. They all do." Sirius added.

Remus just rolled he's eyes while Peter nodded his head; he wasn't going to get anywhere if he didn't agree with his friends.

"Sirius I think this is a wakeup call, there are some girls in this school that have standards. Both you and James need to open your eyes and see that you will never get a girl that lasts if you treat them like they aren't worth anything." Remus said, trying to reason with his friends. "Besides James I thought you would have realised by now that the way you get other girls to date you isn't going to work with Lily.

The Gryffindor girls plus Brooke rounded the corner and were just behind the Marauders were in the middle of their conversation about getting girls.

"I don't want a relationship, come on now. I'm Sirius Black. I don't do relationships I just look for a good snog and last night was one of the best, of course I'm going to want to keep her around for a while, she'll be the first girl of the year and if she can snog like that I'm pretty sure she's great in bed."

Brooke froze in her tracks. She should have never done what she did last night, Sirius never treated girl's right and he was never going to treat her right. What he just said was proof of that.

Lily saw Brooke's reaction and wasted no time in storming up to Sirius telling him what she thought. "You are disgusting; I really hope that everyone sees how ugly you and Potter really are. You guys think that you'll have your looks forever but you won't you're only going to keep your sad excuses for a personality and no woman in their right mind is going to want to shag you when you're old and have saggy skin."

Remus looked impressed, he totally agreed with what Lily was saying. He tried to tell his friends that, except he never said it so harshly.

"You're exactly right Evans." Sirius said much to everyone's astonishment.

"What!" James exclaimed.

"What?" Brooke questioned.

"What." Lily stated in disbelief not knowing if Sirius was joking or being serious.

Everyone else halted, not sure if they heard right. Sirius Black who thought he was God's gift to women had just agreed with Lily.

"Yeah, you're absolutely right, I won't get any girls when I'm older and as you put it have saggy skin, so I might as well make up for it now and shag as many girls as I can." Sirius exclaimed sharing a high five with James.

"You're despicable." Lily muttered before storming off, dragging Brooke with her.

James felt guilty for agreeing with Sirius, but in a way he was right. What was the point of being good looking and the most popular guy in the school if you didn't put it to good use? Maybe Sirius was right, maybe he should forget about Lily and go out with the girls that actually liked him. Her father was wrong, there was no way she actually liked him.

Before the girls rounded the corner, Brooke fell back. "Wait I think I need to do something." Brooke said, feeling like this was the only time she would do something completely outrageous and completely out of character.

She stormed up to Sirius Black and slapped him hard across the cheek, hard enough to leave a mark.

"What the hell was that for? That's my best side." Sirius exclaimed.

Brooke slapped him again. "I can't believe I even gave in and did something I told myself I'd never do. I can't believe I still did it, and you know what last night never happened. It was a mistake, a horrible mistake. You're a jerk and it should never have happened."

"What the hell did I do?" Sirius shouted after her. "I thought last night was great."

"Ask your girlfriend." Brooke shouted back running after her friends.

"Girlfriend, what? I don't have a girlfriend." Sirius muttered loud enough for Remus, Peter and James to hear.

"It's probably PMS." Peter told him, glad that Brooke didn't have feelings for his friend. Maybe he still had a shot; maybe he could be Brooke's boyfriend. Maybe for once Peter Pettigrew would get the girl instead of Sirius Black.

"I don't want a relationship, relationships come with emotions and I prefer the physical aspects, isn't that right Prongs." Sirius told Remus turning towards James.

"Mm, yeah I suppose so." James mumbled, he had no idea what his friends were talking about because as they walked into the classroom he caught the sight of Lily Evans.

"You're bloody hopeless." Sirius told him making his way to the empty seat next to Brooke.

Sitting down next to the unknown girl, Sirius tried a different approach, the friendly understanding approach. "If you're only avoiding me because you think I have a girlfriend, I don't so I was thinking same place, same time tonight."

"How many times do I have to tell you, you're a jerk and I don't want anything to do with you so leave me alone." Brooke shouted, silently thanking McGonagall for running late.

"Come on love, why don't you just calm down, PMS or not you should join me tonight." Sirius winked, speaking loud enough for the class to hear.

Crack!

Sirius didn't have time to defend himself as Brooke slapped him again, this time on his other cheek. She slapped him with enough force that his neck cracked with the momentum of his head moving to the side causing the majority of the girls in the class to glare at Brooke.

"Miss Jameson, care to explain yourself!" McGonagall exclaimed outrage at what she had just witnessed. Sure there were times when she wanted to wring Sirius up by his neck but she never acted on it and Brooke was the last person she expected to attack Sirius.

"Well he's a self-conceited womaniser who uses people for his own pleasure." Brooke replied truthfully.

"Well no matter what your personal feelings of Mr Black are, you'll be serving detention for your violent behaviour I hope you don't repeat this incident again." McGonagall warned trying to sound fair. "Everyone to their seats." McGonagall glared at the Marauders who remained standing in the pathway between the desks.

"Now!" She yelled waiting for the marauders to move to the uninhibited row at the back. Everyone knew that was the marauders row.

"If you want I'm up for it tonight." Christiana whispered to Sirius as he passed by her.

"Sounds good, I'll see you there then." Sirius smirked, she knew where and when. It was the same time and place for every girl, that way he never got confused.

* * *

"He is such a womaniser. I thought that I wouldn't get attached because he wouldn't know who I was but it hurts more to see him acting like it doesn't matter." Brooke vented throwing Lily's pillow across the dorm.

"I'm sorry Brooke, but it's not your fault, you didn't do anything wrong." Donna said sympathetically, you just got caught up in the moment like every other girl has.

"But I did, I knew what he was like and I knew it would end like this." Brooke sobbed. "I'm madder at myself than I am at him." Brooke noticed that Lily was about to say something but cut her off. "No don't worry I still hate him. Why couldn't I have fallen for a nice guy like Remus or someone like that?"

"Yeah but you never snogged him and had the best snog of your life. Sirius knows how to use his looks and experience to his advantage, you were never going to stand a chance." Lucy told the girl. "We've all been there and we all wish it would have ended differently. I think every girl hopes to be the one to change a player into a boyfriend."

Brooke never intended to get affected by a kiss so badly. All she wanted to do was snog him just to know what the big deal was about. She was supposed to snog him and then move on to a guy who was more suitable for her. That was the plan. Then emotions, lust, fireworks and hormones got in the way.

* * *

"Oi Black, we need to talk." Sarah shouted once she spotted Sirius sitting too close to Felicity a 5th year Gryffindor for her liking.

Judging by Sirius' body language and facial expression it was too close for his liking, ever since he showed an interest in Felicity last year she had become very clingy.

Sirius excused himself and gratefully made his way over to Sarah. "What's up, Sar?"

"Don't call me, that, we aren't dating anymore." Sarah retorted.

"And whose, fault is that?" Sirius questioned trying to make her angry. Sarah was a good kisser and maybe if he pushed it far enough they could recreate old times.

"Look our break up was mutual, I'm not here because of that. How interested in her are you?" Sarah asked not bothering to offer much description on what she was hinting at.

"Who? Oh you mean Felicity. I'm not interested at all. In fact can you tell her to back off she's freaking me out." Sirius wined.

"Felicity isn't my problem and I'm not a prefect so I really have no jurisdiction. If you have a problem with her maybe you should ask Lily." Sarah said knowing that Sirius would not ask Lily for a favour and that Lily wouldn't do what he asked just to spite him.

"Well there is a way for you to solve my problem." Sirius responded wiggling his eyebrows and ignoring what Sarah said about Lily being able to help.

"Grr you really are a jerk, and to think that I dated you. No wonder she doesn't want to have anything to do with you if this is what you're like. I know the true Sirius, who actually cares about people once he gets to know them, and this, this isn't him."

"Are you finished?" Sirius asked, blinking twice having taking nothing Sarah said in. He was not one for showing he cared. "I've got to meet Christina in ten minutes.

"You're impossible, I know you like or at least want more from her so treat her right. Stop screwing Christina and start getting to know Brooke." Sarah told him not realising that she just reviled Brooke's name.

"Brooke?" Sirius questioned. "Who's Brooke?"

"Shit." Sarah cursed.

"You're friends with the girl from last night?" Sirius asked to confirm his suspicions.

"What, no." Sarah lied, "forget I said anything, I wasn't talking about the girl from last night. I ahh…" she trailed off trying to find a cover up.

"So her name's Brooke. Interesting." Sirius smirked.

"Please don't say anything, don't tell her I told you."

Sirius' smirk grew wider as he realised he could use Sarah. "So what has she said about me?"

"What!" Sarah exclaimed before regaining herself in order to answer. "Nothing. All she's said is that you're a jerk."

There was no need to tell him that she was completely in love with him or that his behaviour with girls was affecting her. Sirius did not need to know that. Not yet, especially since Sarah wasn't 100% that he wouldn't use this against Brooke.

"That can be changed. Thanks Sar, you have given me hope, starting tomorrow morning I will no longer be a jerk. I will shower her with flowers and compliment her every day."

Sirius concluded their conversation by giving Sarah a quick peck on the cheek before walking towards the portrait hole that allowed them to exit the Gryffindor common room.

"Where are you going?" Sarah called out to him.

"I'm late, keeping Christina waiting means wasting valuable time. She likes to get right into things if you know what I mean." Sirius explained, offering too much detail.

"That's disgusting." Sarah responded before following Sirius out the common room. "Sirius wait!"

Sirius turned around. "Look if you want to join me and Christina all you had to do was say so."

"Stop it okay. Stop with the inappropriate humour, it's not funny. If you like Brooke why don't you do something about it, instead of shagging that slut?"

"I will, tomorrow. But right now I have the chance of the lifetime to shag Christiana and I'm not going to pass that up. No guy in his right mind would."

"She doesn't deserve you. If you have sex with Christina I'll never talk to you again. If you truly like Brooke like I believe you do you'd respect her. You wouldn't be going after another girl." Sarah warned him.

"Look you're not a guy. You don't get it if a girl with a body like Christina's makes herself available than you go." Sirius told her, annoyed that Sarah was wasting his time with this useless conversation.

"No you don't get it. Lily was right, you're going to get old and ugly eventually. Girls like Christiana will want nothing to do with you and by the time you realise that you made a mistake and passed up the offer to be with the right girl it'll be too late. She'll be with someone who treated her right from the beginning. If you don't open your eyes now to what you really want you'll regret it later in life when you see her hand in hand with another guy beaming at their little child walking a few steps in front of them." Sarah ranted.

"Psh, I don't want that. What teenage guy cares about that? There are plenty of girls out there and who knows, maybe when I'm old and ugly I'll find the girls who are insecure and think they're worthless. I bet they'll want me." Sirius smirked before walking away.

"Don't worry Sirius I'll be there to say I told you so." Sarah muttered wickedly.

* * *

"What was that?" Felicity shrieked when Sarah walked back into the common room.

"What was what?" Sarah asked back innocently, Felicity was a slutty 5th year she was easy to get rid of.

"Why are you chasing after Sirius Black when you know he's mine?" Felicity shrieked.

"Oh, please he's not yours. No amount of flirting is ever going to change that." Sarah told her before flicking her hair over her shoulder, a trick she had learnt from Donna, before continuing up to the 6th year girl's dorm.

"Ok, girl's new plan." Sarah announced once she realised Brooke had left.

Brooke would be good for Sirius, there was an obvious attraction and it was clear that Brooke would make Sirius a better person. and Brooke would get together and they would be the it couple, Sarah would make sure of that.

* * *

A/N

Sorry for the long wait for an update. I had a lot of fixing up to do with this chapter. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I don't really want to keep dragging out that Brooke's upset, but I didn't know how else to show how affected she is by Sirius and how hard it is for her to hide the feelings she had kept hidden for so long.


End file.
